Hey guys, this weekend, I got to fire a few, as in a very few, shots from a Contender using 300 gr. factory ammo...cool! I have to admit that I am terribly curious about this in a handgun, anyone have experience with this? How much velocity loss do you have in a handgun? In particular, I am wondering if the cylinder gap on a BFR results in even more loss and if so, how much????

The BFR has almost no velocity loss. The gap on a good revolver can be ignored for the most part. The recoil is another thing. I have the 10" BFR and recoil is less then a .44 mag while a tender can beat you up.
Powder choice is critical with short barrels, I find 4759 is best. I shoot a huge amount of different boolits from my BFR and most will do under 1" at 100 yards, the gun loves cast and also the 300 gr Hornady. The twist rate of the BFR is better at 1 in 14".
My 317 gr boolit does 1632 fps. I have clanged steel rams to 500 meters once drop is figured.
Here are some of the boolits I shoot.
Those are 50 yard groups. And here are 5 shots in the top of this can at 100 yards.
It is easy to hit 1-1/4" targets at 100 yards using the Ultra Dot, better if you use a scope but I hunt with mine and hate a scope.

Something wrong, I got the same picture twice, try again.
Other hits on this can were from a rifle, bounced on the ground.

Too much for me...


But


I take my hat off to you


Snake

My 14" Contender Hunter suffered almost no velocity loss. I was able to push the 300 grain jacketed hollow point to about 1850. Still, I didn't "enjoy" shooting it. That barrel went to the father of my Son-In-Law.

Accuracy was simply wonderful.

Now I shoot a Contender in .375 Winnie.

Dan

I have the 7.5" BFR and get about 250-300 fps less than my Guide Gun,depending on the load.525 grain cast is 1550 fps in my Guide Gun and 1300 fps in the BFR and 425 grain cast is 1860 fps in the Guide Gun and 1560 fps in the BFR.

I haven't shot any jacketed in the BFR yet,if I do.

Jayco

Maybe if you ignore the barrel cylinder gap as bfshooter suggest your velocity will equal your guide gun

For 11" in barrel loss from the 18.5" Guide Gun to the 7.5" BFR,that's not a big loss in velocity.Basically 25-27 fps per barrel inch including the dreaded cylinder gap of the BFR.

I could load the BFR up to Guide Gun velocities and let you or someone else shoot it.

Jayco

Really, the BFR is very pleasant to shoot.
The thing will get dead boring and mine is not shot much anymore. Nothing to work on or prove, it just plain shoots. It is one of those guns that will never be sold no matter what.

I agree 100% and mine isn't going anywhere either.It was a joke about loading it up to Guide Gun velocities as it would probably be over pressure to gain 300 fps with a 35K load.

Jayco